TRIP🌱TO✨BIRD🕊️WATCHER'S👀PARADISE🏞️ by SEERAT MALIK🧕

"BIRDS CONNECT OUR WORLD"

تندی باد مخالف سے نہ گھبرا اے عقاب

 یہ تو چلتی ہے تجھے اونچا اڑانے کے لیے

GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO GHARANA WETLAND:

Gharana Wetland known as 'bird-watchers' paradise in R.S Pura, Jammu is home to thousands of migratory birds during winter season. Gharana Wetland located close to Indo-Pak border in Jammu district has been notified as a protected water body and declared as Important Bird Area (IBA).

Over 50 species of the bar-headed Geese, including some rare and endangered species, every year fly a distance of more than 1000 miles over the Himalayas in a single day to reach here from their breeding grounds in Central Asia and other parts of the world according to JK Wildlife department officials.

The birds which are counted among the world's highest flying species, include Siberian hans, Keel, Grey Heron and little Grebe from New Zealand, America and Australia.

Most of the birds like Grey Key Goose, Marclands , Teals and Gadwal come from different places in Central Asia and Northern Europe. They migrate to Gharana to escape the harsh winters.

Migratory birds come from Siberia (Russia) which travel the distance of 2387 miles to Gharana Wetland Reserve. The reserve, supports a population of 20,000 to 25,000 birds of different species during every winter with most of the species being migratory. Fishes in large numbers were also put into the wetland for providing food to these migratory birds.

The Gharana Wetland, located about 35 km from Jammu and surrounded by wetlands of Makwaal, Kukdian, Abdullian and Pargwal, has more than 170 residents, and migratory bird species such as bar-headed geese, gadwalls, common teals, purple swamp hens, Indian moorhens, black winged stilts, cormorants, egrets and green shanks flock during the winter. More than 370 bird species, including 310 water species, from the Central Asian highlands start congregating at various wetlands in the country with the onset of winter every year.

Hundreds of people from various parts of Jammu have been thronging the wetland to watch these birds and take pictures. It is the only spot in Jammu to watch migratory birds of different species. it has not only become a picnic spot but also live education centre for teaching them to love environment, protect and preserve it.

           Some of the scientific interventions like selective removal of weed and monitoring of birds and watch and ward' for averting hunting or poaching attempts. A five-year management plan of the wetland has been prepared by the Wildlife Protection Department through the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which would help in conserving the wetland, make it an important tourist destination and promote eco-tourism.

MY VISIT TO GHARANA WETLAND:

Hi, This is Seerat Malik and Im a permanent resident of Jammu. I remembered the time when I had only heard the name of Gharana Wetland but never got fortuity to visit. While I was pursuing my PG SEM2 I was quite fortitous to visit the Gharana wetland.

(View of Wetland)

(Birds species seen)

Gharana is a small village on the Indo-Pak border near R S Pura town. The wetland is about 35 km from Jammu city. It took us 1-2 hours to reach our destination. An area comprising 200 acres was notified as wetland under the control of Department of Wildlife protection and comes under the jurisdiction of Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Protection Act. The area around the wetland comprises of agriculture fields which produces one of the best varieties of basmati rice in J & K.

(Sign Boards)

During my stay of about one hour in the premises of wildlife office compound, I could see only a number of birds namely white breasted water hen, grey Heron, Egret, Red-wattled lapwing, Common myna, House crow, and Bar-headed Geese. While I was trying to shoot the behaviour of all birds there we also saw an owl and immediately focussed on it but couldn't get its picture.

(Aerva)

(Water hyacinth)

(Eucalyptus)

While I was shooting the birds I also saw a number of people moving in the field just in front of the office which caused disturbance to the birds. And One thing I found out there was that although the notified area of wetlands is 200 acres but it is in fact much less. I could even observe that garbage from households being released in the wetland, thus polluting the same.

(Weeds growth)

(Algal growth)

Also there is no proper fencing as the area allotted was the community land and the revenue authorities have still not allotted the land in favour of the wildlife department. I think this is the crux of the problem. But for me this matter is still ill-defined so I can't say anything. The only thing I can say that is unless and until the land is properly demarcated, the poor birds who cannot express would continue to suffer and the day is not far when the entire wetland would be wiped out and there will not be any area left for the birds. I also observed a signboard in the premises of the wildlife office stating that “Let us welcome migratory birds and ensure their safe stay. Our culture demands this."

(Sign Boards)

(Waste & Garbage)

Now the speechless birds think tht they are calling to visit this place as the name indicates, GHAR ANA: meaning thereby please visit your home. However, the activities of the area indicate that they are asking to birds not to visit their home which they have been doing for time immemorial. I am afraid that the smallest of this wetland besides Kukrian, Sangral, Pargwal, and Nanga wetland reserve (which are much bigger than Gharana) are also likely to face similar problems.

 (orange dragon fly)

(Sweet Daisy's having Bees & Butterfly)

Can authorities concerning the wildlife whose concern is the safety of the winged visitors in their winter home or revenue authorities who are supposed to demarcate a proper place for their permanent home, look into their grievances? Only time will tell.

(Our Team)

Chirping of birds in the early morning is not less than any euphonious music

Bibliography;

All pictures are clicked by me. Here I had shared my experience and the information about the place is gathered from internet.